Empathy
by 554Laura
Summary: Strange things happen when Booth decides to check on an elderly neighbor. A short multichapter story set around the beginning of Season 5. A little spooky, but not gory. Happy Halloween. I don't own Bones...
1. Chapter 1

_**I hope you enjoy this new story...if you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura.**_

* * *

It had been a hard day at work, and Seeley Booth was exhausted as he walked into the building where his apartment was located and pulled the switch on the old fashioned elevator. Groaning as it came to life, it creaked and rattled noisly as it slowly took him upstairs.

All he wanted at that moment was something to take his mind off of his job. The case he'd been working on with Bones was wearing him out, and the fact that Caroline was breathing down his neck, pushing for them to come up with results as soon as possible for another one of her pending cases wasn't helping matters any. The most recent body that had arrived in the lab had been badly decomposed, and identification had proved extremely difficult. Everything seemed to be piling up at the office, with no end in sight. Right now, at the end of this very long day, he desperately needed a respite from the stress of his job. Sighing heavily, he opened the iron gate on the cranky antique lift that had served his building for many years and turned to walk down the dark, narrow hall to his apartment.

A sense of relief washed over him as he neared the door of his home. Even with all its eccentricities, he loved his cozy little place. He knew he might be better off in a more up to date complex with modern amenities, but the slightly run down red brick building where he lived had a lot of old fashioned charm, which suited him and his collections of miscellaneous oddities perfectly. The sounds from the street below...the musty smell of old carpet and wood...the door slamming loudly at the liquor store on the main level...the sconces in the hallway that only worked part of the time...the crooked nooks and crannies in his living space...these were the things that gave his place its personality, and he wasn't ready to trade them for a sterile modern apartment. Besides, the rent was reasonable, and it was close to work. Those two things alone had made him want to stay put for the time being.

The upper floor over the liquor store had been divided into three oddly shaped sections for living quarters. He had the end unit, with Mrs. Ross on one side, and Bob on the other. His neighbors were both older people...Mrs. Ross was in her late sixties, and Bob was well into his seventies...maybe even eighty by now.

Maybe it was because he had been close to his grandparents as a boy, but Booth had felt like he needed to keep an eye out for the welfare of his elderly neighbors. Mrs. Ross had a daughter that lived with her, and even though they argued from time to time, for the most part they seemed to be happy. He rarely worried about them.

Unfortunately, things were different across the hall. Bob O'Brien, a retired bus driver, didn't seem to have any friends and very little contact with his family, with the exception of his granddaughter, but she was usually busy with her own life, having three small children to tend to and a part time job, too. Occasionally she'd come get her grandfather for an outing, or stop by to bring him a meal, but for the most part, Bob seemed to live a solitary existence.

It saddened Booth to think that the old man was basically alone in the world. Booth could relate, having been in similar situations from time to time in his own life. Of course, that had changed once he'd started working with Brennan, but still...he knew how Bob must be feeling on these lonely evenings. "Just like Pops felt after Nana passed away…," he murmured to himself. "...but at least Pops had friends at the retirement center...someone to play dominoes with…"

Bob was somewhat hobbled by severe arthritis in his knees and hips, and he didn't get out much other than to go down to the corner market for a loaf of bread or a carton of milk. Even that was becoming a chore as he leaned heavily on his walker, making his way slowly down the street with a tottering step.

Nodding to himself, Booth decided maybe he'd check on Bob to see if the old fella needed anything. It was the right thing to do, even if he was so very tired…Bob would be pleased to have the company

As he approached Bob's door, he was surprised to see a middle aged woman exit the man's apartment. Dressed completely in a clean white uniform, she walked soundlessly down the dimly lit hall towards Booth, passing him without a glance.

"Hello…", he began politely. "I'm Bob's neighbor, Booth. I live next door there, see? I've been kind of worried about him, so I wanted to know how things are going with him, okay? How is he? Is his arthritis acting up with the change in the weather?" Getting no response, he pointed at the adjacent apartment door. "You were checking on him, right? I'm glad he's getting some home health care services. It's probably good for a guy his age to have some help him with his daily routine."

She stopped and turned around, regarding Booth with a cold, blank expression on her thin, pale face before nodding stiffly. "I'm...helping...him.," she said in a hoarse whisper. Moaning softly, she slowly turned her expressionless gray eyes away from Booth and moved away silently into the darkness, turning the corner into the hall that led to the elevator landing.

"Okay...I guess that's good news. Well, tell him I said hello.", he called out to her before muttering to himself. "That's kinda rude…seems like she could've stopped to chat for a minute, but she probably wants to get home..."

Brushing off the nurse's odd behavior, Booth trudged towards his apartment. Another wave of exhaustion washed over him as he unlocked the door and entered his home, hoping he'd be able to rest up for the crazy days yet to come as he worked with Brennan to solve their latest case.

Settling on the sofa with a grilled cheese sandwich and a beer, Booth tried to watch hockey on television, but his thoughts kept returning to his buddy Bob. Maybe he should check on the guy just to ease his mind...but it was getting late, well past the old man's bed time, and Booth was tired as well. Maybe tomorrow...that would work. He'd check on Bob tomorrow…tomorrow would be soon enough.

Oooooooooo

Unfortunately, as 'tomorrow' had turned into 'today', Booth had found himself once again swamped with work. He and Bones had needed to drive to a small town fifty miles outside of the DC area to interview a witness who, as it turned out, was unwilling to cooperate. What should've taken a few hours that morning had dragged out well into the afternoon before they had gotten what they needed from the woman. Then Angela had called with news about the most recent victim's reconstruction picture. She'd gotten a hit from the missing persons' database, and an identity had finally been given to the nameless remains in the lab. Connor Whitworth had only been 21 years old when he was struck on the head with a large object and his body thrown into the Potomac River.

Deciding that Connor's family would want to know the truth as soon as possible, as bad as it was, Booth and Brennan had been to Arlington,Virginia to deliver the grim news to his parents, and then they stopped by the diner for dinner. No matter how awful things were...even on the worst of days...spending time with Bones always made everything seem better, and they'd lingered over their coffee for a couple of hours, both of them wanting to ease their troubled minds with each other's company after a sad and miserable day at work.

As he took the creaky elevator upstairs, Booth glanced at his watch. Half past nine...most likely too late to check on Bob. Still, there was a nagging feeling that he couldn't quite shake...maybe he'd just peek in on the guy...Bob liked to watch the late night news...he'd probably still be up…

Nearing the door to Bob's apartment, Booth was surprised to see the pale woman in the white scrubs leaving the place again. He couldn't help but notice that now her clothes were rumpled and stained, and her stringy white hair was escaping her messy ponytail, but, after all, she had been working with someone, and home health care could be a dirty, demanding job. He spoke politely to her, asking about her patient, but she simply ignored him as she stared into space, walking slowly past him without a single word or a sideways glance, like he wasn't even there. Groaning softly as if she was carrying a huge weight, she slowly trudged down the hall, dragging first one foot forward and then the other, before turning the corner toward the elevator without acknowledging him.

Unsettled, Booth tried to shake off the weird feeling that was creeping into his soul. Something wasn't quite right, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. Was it that the health aide was so unfriendly? Or was it something more? She seemed to be in pain...maybe she had injured herself as she helped Bob...

Suddenly it occurred to him just how tired he was. He decided that a nice hot bath would make him feel better, along with a good night's sleep. He'd check on Bob himself the next morning, just to put his mind at ease…that would work, and he'd feel better about things. The woman who was helping out Bob had just left...the old fella would be alright for the night…but first thing in the morning, he'd go by and see the old fella...maybe take him some doughnuts and coffee. Yeah...that'd be nice...

Nodding to himself, Booth entered his apartment and got ready for bed. Turning off the lights, he sighed softly as he drifted off to sleep.

Tomorrow would be a better day…


	2. Chapter 2

Unfortunately, however, it turned out that 'tomorrow' wasn't going to be a better day after all. A phone call from a junior agent pulling the late shift at the Hoover had bounced Booth out of bed at 5 am. The Virginia State Police had picked up a person of interest in the death of Connor Whitworth, and they were bringing him to the Hoover first thing that morning.

Brennan yawned as she met Booth in his office an hour later, grumbling softly as she sat down across from him. "I don't understand, Booth. Why didn't they wait until later in the day to call us in? It's not like we can do much this early in the morning. Nobody's at the lab yet..."

"The town where they picked the guy up last night is so small that it doesn't have a big enough jail to hold him along with the three inmates they already have, and since the murder apparently took place at the National Mall, it's the FBI's jurisdiction, so the state police captain for the area decided it'd be easier to just bring him directly here." Booth grimaced slightly as he sipped his coffee. "I know that State Police captain...he's just trying to bug me. He can be a real jerk, okay? He's trying to prove he's a big shot, that's all. He doesn't care about who gets inconvenienced by his decisions. I have a feeling he thinks this little idea of his is fucking hilarious."

"Well, I suppose that bringing our suspect to us first thing in the morning makes sense...at least to him. At least we won't have to drive out to the middle of nowhere to question the suspect." Brennan eyed Booth carefully as she sat across from him. "You look very tired…"

Still drowsy, he nodded as he rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, I am. I mean, after working out in the field all day, I'm beat when I get home, and you'd think that as soon as I crawl into bed, I'd be able to go right to sleep, but instead I toss and turn all night long." He shrugged as he stared into his coffee mug. "I keep having weird dreams, too." He tried to smile as he saw her concerned expression, reaching over to rub her hand. "No, not my usual nightmares. These are more like I'm supposed to remember something and I can't, no matter how hard I try. I get really anxious...I'm searching for an answer, but there isn't one...it's an exercise in futility. Not scary...just not restful, that's all."

She sighed softly as she studied him. "Maybe you're worried about something and you don't even realize it…"

Surprised that Bones would be so perceptive, Booth stifled a small grin. "Well, I've been meaning to check on Bob...you know, that older fella who lives next door to me...but whenever I think I'll go by to see him, something happens and I can't make it…" He gave her a sly wink. "You know, like how you made me get home so late last night...you kept me out too long…"

"What? Don't blame me!" Pretending to pout, Brennan narrowed her eyes at him. "You were the one who wanted two pieces of pie…" She giggled as he gave her a 'who me?' grin. "Maybe you drank too much coffee last night, and the caffeine kept you awake." Running her finger around the rim of her cup, she smirked at him. "Anyway, I don't remember you putting up too much of an argument when I suggested we stay at the diner a bit longer. You know, I enjoyed spending time with you last night. We should do that more often...when we don't have a case..."

"Okay, okay...you're right. I suppose staying out too late is partly my fault, too." Booth chuckled softly. Truth be told, he'd savored every minute they'd spent together the night before, and, in fact, he would've loved to have a couple of hours more of her time. He could never get enough of her. He needed her so badly...he felt like he had so much to say to her, but the time was never right...

He shook off those intense feelings and continued. "Anyway, Bob has a home health aide coming to visit him now, so I guess I don't need to worry about him so much, but he kinda reminds me of Pops, you know? I'd hate to think that no one is checking on Pops…I'd feel bad if Pops was all by himself somewhere with no one who cared about him..." Seeing her soft smile, he as his face colored slightly as he finished his coffee. "Okay...let's go see what our suspect has to say…I hope this isn't a waste of time..."

Oooooooooo

...but it _was_ a waste of time. The suspect had lawyered up as soon as he arrived at the Hoover, and the public defender's office, being swamped with multiple requests from various miscreants, hadn't been able to comply with the man's request until late in the afternoon. Then, after hours of intense interrogation, it was determined that the man's alibi was indeed viable...he had been at work on the day in question, with several witnesses to corroborate his story. He'd been nowhere near the DC area at the approximate time of Connor's death.

Now thoroughly frustrated, Booth had thrown in the towel for the evening. He and Bones had ordered in some Thai and gone through all of their evidence again, but to no avail. There was simply nothing helpful to be had in the various stacks of information. They'd have to look at it with fresh eyes in the morning. It was time to head home.

The old elevator in his building had protested loudly as it carried him up to his floor. "Jesus, what an awful racket. Maybe I ought to take the stairs next time…," he mumbled to himself as he opened the gate to disembark. "Vintage 'charm' is a good thing unless it was loud enough to wake the dead. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow instead. I could use the exercise...especially if I keep eating two pieces of pie just so I can spend more time with Bones..."

It was late, and the silent hallway was dimly lit as the sconces flickered vaguely in the darkness. The air seemed thick and uncomfortable as he walked towards his apartment. The overall atmosphere was oppressive...ominous...as if the building itself was oozing sadness and despair. It was hard to ignore, and he felt his skin prickle in response. _That's silly...it's the same old building...nothing weird...I just need some rest. I'm exhausted, that's all..._Striding down the hall, he loosened his tie and pulled on his collar as he yawned. _So tired...I need to sleep..._

He glanced at his watch before pulling his keys from his pocket. Ten o'clock...too late to check on his neighbor, Bob. Sighing to himself, Booth realized that once again he'd let the guy down. Of course, it was possible that Bob's granddaughter had stopped this afternoon...or maybe the home health aide had visited, but that was no excuse. He needed to make time for the old man. It was the right thing to do. After all, he'd want someone to do the same for his grandfather...

As soon as he thought of the health aide, he saw her from the corner of his eye, walking toward him with the same cold, blank expression on her haggard face. A cold chill washed over him as he took in the dreadful change in her appearance. Her wild white hair was hanging in tangles around her temples, and her eyes were sunken into their deeply shadowed sockets. Her soiled and torn white clothes seemed to hang limply round her emaciated frame. Her face lined with pain, she groaned softly as she walked by Booth without a second glance. She was struggling to breathe...he could hear her wheezing and gasping for air as she passed. "Ma'am? Are you alright?"

She stopped and stiffly turned back towards him, and he could see that she was struggling to breathe. "Do you need some help?," he asked again. "Are you having an asthma attack? I can call an ambulance…"

Her mouth moved slowly as if she was trying to speak, but she appeared to shake off his words, her shoulders heaving violently as she coughed loudly. She turned and limped slowly away, wringing her hands and gasping for air, moaning softly as she rounded the corner towards the elevator.

Stunned at the aide's sudden, rapid decline in health, Booth was about to knock on Bob's front door when his phone rang.

"Booth? It's me." Brennan hesitated slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Bones...of course, I'm okay. Why?"

There was a pause on the other end of the call. "Because you're breathing heavily…as if you'd just run up the stairs of your apartment building."

Suddenly becoming aware of his racing pulse, Booth inhaled deeply, willing his heart rate to slow down. "It's nothing. What's up?"

"When I got home, I was restless and couldn't sleep, so I spent some time looking through our case notes again, and I wanted to discuss a few things with you. I know it's late...you don't have to come to the lab...we can talk over the phone…if you don't mind, that is..."

Hesitating slightly, Booth cleared his throat. Even though he was feeling anxious and terribly exposed as he stood alone in the hall, he still felt the urge to check on Bob, but he also needed the safety of his own home, where strange home health aides couldn't invade his tranquility.

Hurrying to his apartment, he unlocked the door and stepped inside, exhaling slowly as a sense of peace flooded his soul when he entered his home. Talking to Brennan, even if it was about a murder case, was just what he needed to calm his nerves. He could get up early the next morning and check on his neighbor. The aide had just left...surely she wouldn't leave Bob alone if he needed something, even if she wasn't feeling well...she would've said something, right?

"Sure, Bones...what's on your mind?"

As he listened to her explanation, he took a beer from the refrigerator along with some leftover pizza and sat on the sofa. Just hearing her voice had already helped him relax, and he felt better already.

And surely tomorrow would be a better day...


	3. Chapter 3

Booth was right...he could feel it as soon as his alarm went off. Today was going to be a much better day. He'd had a good night's sleep, and had awakened to a beautiful morning, feeling refreshed and ready to conquer whatever issues might arise at work that day. After a quick shower and a shave, he picked out his favorite suit and tie, dressing quickly so he could take advantage of his sudden burst of energy. A final smile for the handsome man in the mirror, and he was ready to leave for work.

He took his gun from the safe and strapped on his holster before checking his watch. 7:30...he'd have time for a nice breakfast at the diner before heading to the Hoover.

As he shut the apartment's front door and took out his keys to lock it, he was surprised to hear a familiar voice behind him.

"Hey, Booth? How's it going?"

Smiling broadly, Booth turned to shake hands with the man. "Bob! How the hell are you?" Standing back, he was surprised to see his neighbor apparently enjoying vibrant good health. The normally stooped, faded old man was standing straight as an arrow with an alertness in his expression that Booth hadn't seen in several months. "Looking real chipper there...all dolled up in that fancy blue plaid shirt and some nice khakis."

"I'm fine...never felt better. I feel like a huge weight's been lifted from my shoulders. Thanks for asking." Bob stuck his thumbs in his suspenders and smiled broadly. "Listen...I wanted to let you know that I'm gonna be taking a trip, so you don't have to worry about me anymore. Actually, that's why I'm all dressed up...because I"m gonna leave today…and I'll be gone for good...as in permanently. I won't be here back again."

"What? Why? I'm gonna miss having you around to pester, old man…", Booth teased as he gestured towards the hallway. "I can't believe you're gonna leave this palatial dwelling…"

"I've already got a new place all lined up...it's waiting for me as we speak. It's gonna be perfect, okay? Twenty four hour help and great weather all the time…all the good food and fishing I want...everything a man my age could need...and for a great price, too. I don't even need to take anything with me..."

"So...an assisted living center...out of state?" Booth was really confused by Bob's excited ramblings. "That's great…"

"Not exactly assisted living...but definitely out of state. I'm gonna be some place where Amelia doesn't have to worry about taking care of me. She has her hands full with those three little kids and work...she needs to just live her life without having to check on me all the time. I'm tired of being a burden to her..."

"Well, that's great, Bob...although you know Amelia doesn't mind checking on you. I'm sure she doesn't see you as a burden. You're her grandfather...and she loves you."

"I know she loves me, but I also know it's a pain in the ass for her to come all the way over here to look after me, since I'm such a frail old codger." Bob sighed softly as he glanced over his shoulder. "Don't get me wrong...I'm gonna miss this little place. I've had lotsa happy times here, but…I need to move on..."

"I know." Booth nodded in agreement. "I guess it's time for a change, right? Yeah, I get that. I helped my grandfather with the same thing when living in his rowhouse in Philly got to be too much for him...after my Nana passed." Booth pointed at Bob's knees. "It looks like your arthritis is doing better, too. You seem pretty steady, moving well...and no walker? That's good news."

"Yeah, like I said...I feel great. I've been completely healed of everything that ailed me. I could probably go dancing if I had the time, but I need to shove off." The old man smiled as he patted Booth on the back. "Listen, I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye. I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me over the years. I know you kept an eye on me and you did some things to help me from time to time…you're a good guy, Booth."

"Nah...it was nothing...no big deal." Embarrassed, Booth waved the compliment off. "I mean, I was gonna check on you over these past few days, but since you have the home health aide coming, I decided you were okay…"

A strange look crossed Bob's face before he hurriedly nodded in agreement. "Right. Well, hopefully you won't see her around too much more. She can be a mess…"

"Yeah...I have to say...she's not very friendly...probably because she doesn't feel well." Booth scratched his chin, watching to see how Bob reacted, but the man merely smiled and nodded at him. Glancing at his watch, he was surprised to see how late it was. "Hey, buddy...I've got to get going…don't wanna be late for work..."

"Okay, but one more thing...I heard you talking to your girlfriend last night about your latest case…"

Booth blushed furiously. "She's not my girlfriend…we just work together."

"Yeah, right. You can't fool this old man. I know you got it bad for her, right? Don't let that one get away." Bob chuckled quietly before he continued. "Anyway...maybe you should look at your case from a different point of view. Maybe it was an accident."

"An accident? Why would you say that?" Booth frowned as he thought over the facts. "The kid died from a blow to the head…"

"Maybe he dropped his phone on some rocks and fell when he went to get it. It could happen, right?"

Nodding, Booth scratched the back of his neck. "Hmm...I guess so. It probably wouldn't hurt to look into that angle. Thanks." He smiled as he shook Bob's hand. "Hey, if I don't see you before you move, good luck at the new place, okay?"

"Oh, you won't see me around here anymore...I'm leaving right now. Thanks again for everything, Booth. It's hard for me to explain just how much I appreciate the way you cared about me. Goodbye." Bob patted Booth's hand before letting go. Smiling broadly, he waved goodbye before quickly walking down the hall and turning the corner to reach the elevator.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Preoccupied with the idea that Connor Whitworth's death might be an accident, Booth took the stairs down to the lot where his car was parked as he considered the situation. After getting a quick breakfast at a fast food place, he drove out to a scenic overlook on the banks of the Potomac. Staring down towards the swirling brown water, he was surprised to see sunlight glint off something shiny on the rocks below him.

"Well, I'll be damned...I wonder what that is? Looks like something that shouldn't be down there..." He walked to the end of the overlook's sidewalk and leaned over the railing, hoping to get a better view, but to no avail. Finally, he decided to take a chance. If there was something interesting down there, he knew who could find it.

Pulling out his phone, he made a quick call. "Hey, Marcus? It's me, Booth. Listen, I need an FBI forensics team out here at the main Potomac overlook as soon as possible...the one on the National Mall." He paused, clearly exasperated. "What do you mean why? Because I'm a special agent in charge, that's why. I need your team to come search the rocks below the overlook. We're looking for a cell phone…"

Oooooooooo

"Hey, Angela."

Looking up from her computer, Angela was surprised to see her visitor. "Hey, Studly. If you're looking for Brennan, she's in bone storage…"

He shuffled his feet nervously. "Um...actually, I wanted to talk to you…"

"Really? That sounds interesting." Giving Booth an appreciative glance, Angela arched an eyebrow at him. "What do you have in mind?"

Feeling slightly awkward, Booth sat down on the edge of the sofa. "I want to know if there's any way that Connor Whitworth's death could be an accident. I know he died from a blow to his head...but is it possible he fell onto some rocks instead of someone hitting him?"

Laughing softly, Angela shook her head. "I guess I can help you find out, but why not just talk to Brennan?" The artist entered some information into her tablet. "She could probably give you an answer a lot sooner than I can, just by looking at the skull…"

"Well, um...it's hard to explain…," Booth stammered. "I know how busy she is…"

"And you don't want her to know you're playing a hunch. Yeah, I get it."

"I am not playing a hunch!" He paused as his phone rang. "Booth...really? Interesting...and blood? Any up on the sidewalk? Okay, well, take lots of pictures and send them to Ms. Montenegro at the Jeffersonian. Yeah, good work...thanks."

Waiting expectantly, Angela crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay...let's have it."

"That was Marcus. He and his forensics team found a phone on the rocks underneath the Potomac Overlook at the Mall. It's the same make as Connor's. The battery is dead, but they're gonna try to get it to work back at the lab." Booth paused slightly for dramatic effect. "They also found what looks like blood on some rocks above the phone. He's gonna send you the pictures…"

"What pictures?," Brennan asked as she entered Angela's office. Confused, her brow furrowed as she glanced at Booth. "Do we have some new information about Connor Whitworth?"

"I was just looking into another angle, Bones. Since we don't have any real suspects, I thought maybe we should make sure his death wasn't some sort of freak accident, so I asked Angela to run a simulation for me."

"But why didn't you talk to me first?" Somewhat annoyed, Brennan scowled slightly as she sat down next to him. "I could've helped…"

"He knew you were busy, Sweetie." Angela gave Booth a furtive wink. "He was just passing by and dropped in on the spur of the moment…"

"Yeah...I know you've got a lot to do in bone storage." He smiled as he patted Brennan's knee. "Anyway, let's leave Angela to do her thing, okay? Marcus is going to send her some info…"

"...and I'll have it ready later today or early in the morning." Angela picked up her tablet and entered some more information. "It depends on when I get the stuff from Marcus."

"Okay." Brennan was still unsure of what was going on, but she decided to shrug it off. "I guess we have nothing to lose…"

"True." Booth stood up abruptly and smoothed his tie. "Hey, I need to get to the Hoover. How about lunch later today, ladies?"

Angela shook her head. "I'm swamped…I'll just have a PB and J here…"

Brennan glanced at her phone. "I'll meet you at the diner at noon."

"Excellent. See you then."

Booth waved as he left, feeling slightly unsettled as he made his way to the parking garage. He felt like something was off with how the day had gone, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. Maybe it was Bob's sudden decision to leave town…

Or maybe it was how clearly he could visualize what had happened to Connor Whitworth...like he was standing there watching the accident as it unfolded. It was so obvious now, and he was surprised it hadn't occurred to him until Bob had mentioned the possibility.

Pushing those thoughts away, he shrugged off his discomfort. Things were going to get better soon, because he was meeting Bones for lunch, and that always brightened his day.

As he tried to pull out onto the street, he hit the brakes suddenly to yield to an ambulance that was passing by with its lights flashing and its siren blaring loudly.

He couldn't help but notice that it was heading in the general direction of his apartment building. "I hope everything's alright.," he muttered to himself as he pulled out in traffic.

But he didn't have time to worry about that premonition right now. He needed to get some work done before his lunch date with Bones. He was really looking forward to that.

He nodded to himself as he turned onto the busy street. Today was definitely going to be a better day.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: this chapter takes place on the afternoon of the day mentioned in the previous chapter. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it.**_

* * *

"I still don't understand how you came to your conclusion, Booth." Brennan's brow furrowed as he parked the car in front of the seedy red brick building that housed his apartment. "It seems to be a valid explanation, but…"

He sighed softly as he dropped some quarters into the parking meter outside the liquor store, knowing he couldn't tell her simply to trust him because he'd seen it so clearly in his mind's eye. "Well, we had no obvious suspects, okay? It looked like the body had been tossed around by the water's motion, so he probably didn't enter the water in that calm spot where he was found. Cam said that his blood alcohol was probably right at .08, based on what was left of the remains, so he was impaired. There wasn't any blood found on the sidewalk or riverbanks in the area where his body was found, right? Besides, you said his frontal bone was damaged, and I figured that could happen if he'd fallen forward. It's more likely an assailant would hit him on the back of the head."

"Yes...those facts are correct." She stood on the sidewalk, waiting as he turned to join her. "And I'm impressed that you know where the frontal bone is, but how did you know about his phone?"

"Deductive reasoning, that's all. That overlook is a popular place for people to hang out, okay? And a kid his age without a phone didn't make sense, which told me he'd lost it somewhere." They walked toward the front entrance of the building. "There wasn't any blood on the overlook's sidewalk, but I could see some dark stains on the rocks below...and the sunlight was reflecting off of something shiny. Even if it wasn't the guy's phone, I knew someone had been hurt down there, so I asked Marcus and his team to check it out. Turned out, it was Connor's phone after all. His driver's license and a credit card were inside the phone's protective case. Angela ran a simulation…"

"And we came up with an alternate explanation for his death." Even though she knew it was irrational, Brennan couldn't help feeling slightly annoyed. "So you didn't really need my help on this case after all, did you?"

"C'mon...you know I'll always need my partner, Bones. You're the one who taught me how to think logically instead of going with my gut, okay? You helped me in lots of different ways. Anyway, it's not like we have absolute proof of what happened...just an alternate explanation. You'll still have to get the information together for the coroner's report, right?" Seeing her nod, he grinned happily. "So that's why we're gonna take the afternoon off, okay? We need to hurry if we're gonna beat the crowd at the bowling alley...I want to change clothes and grab my shoes...maybe grab a bite..." As he pushed the button to call the elevator, he shuddered slightly before turning to his partner. "Did you hear that?"

"The elevator? Yes, it's certainly noisy. Are you sure it's safe to use?" She paused, waiting for his answer, but he seemed to be suddenly preoccupied. "Booth?"

"Yeah...sorry." He tried to shake off the odd feeling he had that something was wrong. Shrugging as they traveled upstairs, he offered an explanation. "I thought I heard a scream, but it must've been kids playing outside or something…" He opened the gate and gestured for his partner to disembark ahead of him. "After you, Bones..."

"Children playing outside at this time of day? It's only two o'clock...wouldn't the neighborhood children be in school?" Booth?" Getting no answer, she turned to look at him. "Booth? What's wrong?"

He was standing perfectly still, staring down the hall with a look of horror on his ashen face. "Can't you see that?," he asked breathlessly, his nervousness evident in his voice as he pointed towards the darkened ceiling. "Please tell me you can see that…"

"See what?" Brennan looked in the direction he was pointing. "It's dark...I can't see anything…"

"Seriously, Bones? How can you miss it? It's heading right for us..."

A ghastly apparition was floating slowly towards them, seeming to be almost transparent in the dimly lit hallway. A thin layer of pallid tissue was stretched tightly across the prominent cheekbones, but the nose was completely missing. Its head was tilted to one side at an awkward angle, as if the neck had been broken. The slack jaws gaped open as in death, and instead of eyes, there were tiny points of light peeking out of the hollow black sockets of the skull. A sheer veil seemd to cover its matted white hair, and a ragged white shroud hung from its skeletal arms and shoulders, fluttering in all directions as it moved down the hall.

Booth shivered uncontrollably as he felt the waves of pain and cold fury roll across him...violent bursts of energy that seemed to be emanating from the vision. Even though it was impossible to explain, somehow he knew it was looking at him, regarding him with intense anger. With a sudden flash of insight, he realized what he was seeing.

"You don't belong here.," he began softly. "What do you want? Why are you appearing to me like this? Why aren't you helping Bob?"

It paused, slowly raising a bony hand to its chest before pointing down the hall towards Bob's apartment. Suddenly its arms flailed wildly and a series of piercing, keening wails erupted from the creature. The loud, shrill shrieks seemed to echo through the hallway before dying away into a low moan as the phantom moved toward the elevator and disappeared around the corner.

"Oh, no...no...no, no, no…" Feeling the prickle of goosebumps as the hair stood up on his arms and the back of his neck, Booth shook his head in despair. "It can't be..." He turned and moved quickly down the hall, with Brennan hurrying behind him.

"Booth, what's going on?"

"It's Bob...something's happened to Bob…"

"What? How do you know?"

"I just know…"

He could see light spilling out of the old man's doorway. Hoping he was wrong, he stood anxiously in the hall and called out. "Bob? Bob, it's me, Booth. Are you alright?"

"I'm afraid your friend Bob can't answer you, sir." A paramedic came to the door, shaking his head sadly. "Mr. O'Brien is dead."

Ooooooooooo

As he sat on Bob's faded blue couch, Booth pinched his nose, trying to understand what was going on. He tried to smile at Brennan as she brought him a glass of water. "What did you find out, Bones?"

"The assistant medical examiner was quite reticient with information until I mentioned that I worked with the FBI." Sitting next to her partner, Brennan studied him carefully before continuing. "It appears that your friend Bob had fallen in the bathroom, breaking his wrist and his hip and possibly hitting his head. The bezel on his watch was broken when his arm hit the edge of the tub, and so, because the calendar date on its face was preserved, we know he fell approximately three days ago. He was in his pajamas...perhaps it was late and he stumbled over something in the dark. It appears that he was unable to drag himself out of the bath because of his injuries, so he was trapped there on the floor. There was extensive bruising to his face, so he may have lain unconsious there for most of that time period. The ME suggested that there are possible internal injuries as well, but it was her belief that he finally succumbed to dehydration."

"Oh my God…" Scratching the back of his neck, Booth drew a shuddering sigh. "I knew I should've checked on him. My gut was telling me that something was wrong...this is all my fault, Bones...I could've helped him…he lingered for three days? Jesus, that's terrible. I should've done something...I should've realized what that home health aide was telling me..."

"There was no way you could've known what had happened, Booth. You're not responsible…"

"Who found him this morning?," he interrupted suddenly. Wiping away a tear, Booth turned to his partner. "Who was it?"

"It was his granddaughter, Amelia. She had come over this morning because she was supposed to take him to a doctor's appointment. She called for an ambulance, of course, but he was already deceased. The ME has estimated the time of death to be a few hours before she arrived, so, as you can imagine, she's devastated…"

"Early this morning? He passed this morning? And the ambulance I saw..." Booth swallowed hard as he shifted nervously in his seat. "Where's the ME? I need to talk to her...right now..."

"She's already gone...she took the body to the morgue. Even though it's not a suspicious death, there will still be an autopsy…" Brennan was confused, wondering why Booth was so insistent on talking to someone about his friend Bob. "He was elderly, Booth...he might've suffered a heart attack or a stroke...his injuries may have been too severe. The ME only did a cursory exam in situ…there will be more details later..."

"Dammit…" Swearing under his breath, Booth glanced at Brennan in irritation. "Okay, well...did she give you time of death?"

"Of course, but I don't understand why it's important…"

Frustrated, he lashed out at Brennan. "Isn't it enough that I'm asking? Can't you just answer my question?"

Surprised by his angry outburst, Brennan nodded slowly. "Based on the body's temperature and lividity, he died between 4 AM and 6 AM this morning."

Booth shook his head resolutely. "No...that's not possible." Pinching his lips together in a grim line, he shook his head. "It must've been later than that…"

"No...she was quite clear. Your friend died just a few hours before his granddaughter arrived."

"You don't understand, Bones…" He hesitated, knowing she'd think he was off his rocker, but he had to tell her the truth. "I talked to him this morning on my way out to breakfast…"

"You talked to him? You mean, you went into his apartment and called out to him…"

"No, I mean out there in the hall. I remember it clearly...I had checked my watch, and it was 7:30. I was leaving for work, and he stopped me...he was wearing what looked to be a new blue plaid shirt and his dress pants. He looked great, okay? I mean, he looked strong and healthy. He said he felt great...that he was cured of what had ailed him, and he was going on a trip…that he didn't want to leave without telling me goodbye. He couldn't have been dead already...I mean, I shook his hand, Bones...it was warm...like flesh and blood..he was so cheerful..."

"Well, I suppose the medical examiner could be mistaken about the time of death. It's just an estimate." Brennan's brow furrowed as she remembered what had happened earlier that afternoon. "Booth...can I ask you a question?"

He sighed heavily. "Yeah...sure...what do you want to know?"

"As we came off the elevator, you saw something in the hallway that obviously upset you, but I couldn't see it." She exhaled slowly as she looked into his troubled brown eyes. "What did you see?"

"I'm not really sure what I saw. I suppose it could've been my imagination going wild, since I haven't been sleeping well..."

"But it was clear that you were seeing something that frightened you...and then you asked whatever it was why it wasn't 'helping Bob'." Clearly puzzled, Brennan shook her head. "I don't understand. I know you didn't see a ghost, since they don't exist…but you spoke to something...you said it didn't belong there, or something like that..."

"No, what I saw...it wasn't a ghost. It was more like...a warning….or a message...something I'd heard stories about as a little kid." Suddenly Booth felt exhausted. "Listen, Bones...do you mind if we take a rain check on bowling this evening? I don't feel like going out tonight…"

"Of course I don't mind. I know you must be saddened by the loss of your friend." She stood up and offered him her hand. "Come on...let's go to your apartment and I'll heat up some soup for you…"

"Okay." He got up from the sofa and walked toward the door, peering cautiously around the frame before he left the room. "It looks like the coast is clear…" He smiled weakly, trying to ignore the high pitched wails he heard coming from the end of the hall. "Let's go have something to eat."

They entered his cheerful apartment and left the gloomy atmosphere the hallway behind, but he could still feel a sense of oppressive sadness nipping at his heels.

Rubbing his hand over his face, he felt himself gradually relax as he heard Brennan working in the kitchen, fixing him something to eat. He'd often dreamed of this sort of domestic bliss...just the two of them, spending time together…but he wondered how she'd react if he told her he'd seen a ghost and a banshee.

She came into the living room and offered him a bowl of soup, a beer, and consolation. That would have to be enough for now.

Maybe tomorrow would be a better day...


	5. Chapter 5

_**Thank you for the kind reviews. They are appreciated. **_

_**A few notes about this chapter: I don't know if Booth's gift from Bob is possible in real life. That's the fun of fiction...I can do what I want.**_

_**The word 'sidhe', being Gaelic, is pronounced 'shee'.**_

_**For you non-Trekkies, Counselor Troi is an empathetic ship's counselor on Star Trek Next Generation.**_

_**And finally...people with pink auras are supposed to be sensitive, loyal, romantic, and intuitive. I think that describes our hero...**_

* * *

As he sat in his office at the Hoover, Booth tried to concentrate on the files in front of him, but his mind kept wandering back to the events of the last few days. It still bothered him that Bob had lain on the bathroom floor for days before dying all alone, but there wasn't anything that could be done about that at the moment. He'd often looked in on Bob in the past, and now he was trying to convince himself that his failure to do so last week was based on a simple misunderstanding. At the time, he'd really thought Bob had a home health aide, but now, in retrospect, he wasn't sure who he'd seen leaving Bob's apartment.

Unfortunately, Bob's funeral hadn't made things any clearer. It had been a nice service, but seeing Bob laid out in his casket, dressed in the same brand new blue plaid shirt, suspenders, and khaki pants as Booth had seen the old man wearing that fateful morning...on the day when his pajama clad body had been discovered on the bathroom floor...had unnerved Booth, and hearing Amelia say that Bob had picked out that same outfit for his own funeral a few weeks before hadn't helped matters any. Of course, Bones was still convinced that the ME had made a mistake about Bob's time of death...that it was actually much later in the morning...but Booth knew better. He had a feeling about what had happened, but he knew she would never believe him, so he kept it to himself.

His musings were interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. "Agent Booth?"

He quickly rose to greet his visitor. "Amelia! Hello! I didn't expect to see you here…"

"Well, I was over at my grandfather's apartment, trying to figure out what to do with all of his things, and since I was in the area, I decided to stop by." She smiled bashfully as she held out an envelope. "He told me that he wanted you to have these…"

As he opened the envelope, Booth let out a low whistle. "Baseball cards? Oh my God...Steve Carlton and Mike Schimdt...from the 1980 season...and autographed? How?" He shook his head as he studied the cards. "I can't take these, Amelia...they must be worth a fortune. Anyway, you should save them for your kids…"

"I have plenty of autographed baseball cards left. When Gramps worked for the transit company, he used to drive one of the charter buses that would take the visiting baseball teams to Shea Stadium. If he had time, he'd ask a player or two for an autograph. It wasn't exactly appropriate on his part, but if he wasn't pushy about it, nobody seemed to care." The young woman brushed away a tear as she sat back in her chair. "He picked those out special for you. He said he loved talking baseball with you...and he knew you'd appreciate them, seeing how the Phillies are so near and dear to your heart." She took a tissue from her purse and wiped her eyes. "I guess maybe I owe you an explanation. See, Gramps was dying, Agent Booth...he had pancreatic cancer. That's why he'd picked out his funeral clothes ahead of time and why he picked out those cards for you. He didn't want anything left to chance, so he made sure to tell me that you got those."

"I had no idea about the cancer…," Booth began. "I mean, I knew he'd been ill for quite some time, but…I suppose that's why he had a home health aide, right?"

"Health aide? No...he didn't want any help. He said he could manage, and you know how stubborn he could be...silly old man. He didn't want strangers in his apartment."

Questions flooded Booth's mind, but seeing how griefstricken his visitor was, he decided it wasn't the time to ask them. "I know his diagnosis must've been a shock...I mean I knew he hadn't been doing well for a long time, but…I didn't know it was that bad."

"It came as quite a blow to both of us. It was stage 4...he only had a couple of months left, if that long." Amelia exhaled slowly, trying to maintain her composure. "When I had gone over to pick up Gramps that day, it was to check him into a palliative care facility. He was devastated at having to leave his home...he loved his apartment and being on his own. He knew how much you helped him, Agent Booth. He was able to live by himself...with dignity...because you looked after him." She smiled sadly. "I know you've regretted not going to check on Gramps sooner, but he was ready to go be with my grandmother and my parents, and as much as he loved his little place, I'm glad he could avoid having to move away from there. I'm sure he was grateful for everything you did...and so am I."

Chewing his lip nervously, Booth nodded. "I'm glad I could help him out. Your Gramps was a great guy. He loved you a lot, and for what it's worth...I think he's in a better place now."

Amelia nodded in agreement as she stood up to leave. "As do I. Goodbye."

Booth watched the young woman as she walked away, sighing softly. He fervently hoped that what she said was true...that things had worked out in the best way possible for his friend, but he still felt responsible. After making a mental note to check on Mrs. Ross on a more regular basis, he turned back to his files...

...and was almost immediately interrupted by another knock on the door.

"What is it?!," he growled. "I'm busy!"

"Then I won't stay long, Seeley."

Recognizing the nasally voice, he didn't look up from the folder. "Ms. Harmonia, I don't really have time…"

"I know you're busy, but I think if you'll give me a few minutes, it'll be worth your while." She came into the office and sat down, making herself at home. "You know I'm right…you need some peace of mind, and I can give it to you."

As he glanced at the petite blonde woman, Booth knew he was beaten fair and square. The psychic was like a bulldog once her mind was made up, even if it was about some otherworldly mumbo jumbo. It would be easier to tolerate her for a few minutes than to fight the battle...maybe then she'd leave him alone. "So...what do you want?"

"To give you a message...and to answer your questions." She smirked, arching an eyebrow at his surprise. "It seems as if you've had an eventful week."

He hesitated, thinking things over. He did have questions and things he wanted to talk through, and Avalon was probably the only person who wouldn't think he was Looney Tunes…

Rising from his chair, he closed the office door and turned to her. "You'll tell me about Bob?"

"Yes. He wants you to know that he's not upset with you. He has always considered you a good friend. He was ready to leave this world, and even with the way things happened...he has no regrets, other than wishing that the trash can hadn't been in the way. That's what he tripped over..."

"I wish I could believe he wasn't upset with me." Booth walked over to the window and gazed at the street below. "I guess I would've only been delaying the inevitable, seeing how he was so ill, but still…dying alone like that...lingering for days..."

"What did he say to you?," Avalon asked in a quiet voice. "When you saw him, he was happy, right? Tell me what happened."

"Yeah, he was happy, but…" He turned to look at her. "He was alive...he felt so real...he had to be...Bones says the ME got the time of death wrong. I don't know about that. All I know is that I shook his hand… and then he walked down the hall and turned to get on the elevator."

Laughing softly, Avalon tilted her head to one side. "Seeley...the elevator in your building is really noisy when it operates, isn't it?"

He was obviously confused by her question. "Yeah...so?"

"So...did you hear it start up to take Bob downstairs?"

Booth thought over the psychic's question carefully as he looked back at that morning. "Well, no...I guess not. How did he...where did he…" Finally he nodded in understanding. "So I was right. It was his ghost I saw. I thought so, but you know Bones...she was sure the Medical Examiner had messed up…"

"Yes, I know. Temperance only believes what she can prove with evidence." Avalon laughed softly. "She didn't see the woman, did she?"

"The woman who I thought was a home health aide? Nah. I guess she didn't take the elevator either, right?" Feeling a bit more comfortable with the conversation, he sat on the edge of his desk. "You know, my mother always said her family, the Maloneys, had a banshee, but I shouldn't have seen her that day...Bob and I weren't related…my family's banshee shouldn't have been there..."

"What you saw wasn't the Maloney banshee. It was a different entity entirely. She is a sidhe...an entity also known as Tuatha De Danaan. In Irish mythology, they are warrior spirits who serve as the guardians of a noble family. Bob must've been related to the O'Briens that trace their roots back thousands of years to the ancient rulers of Ireland." Avalon regarded Booth with interest. "They're rarely seen by anyone except members of the family. It's surprising that she tried to communicate with you. Bob says she actually spoke to you..."

"Yeah. I think she was desperate. Bob needed help…and she knew I was close by, even though I didn't understand what she wanted me to do." Booth paused, realizing how crazy that statement sounded. "Jesus...I must've lost my mind, thinking that spirits and ghosts are real and can talk to me…"

"I don't think you're crazy at all." Avalon casually checked her nails before looking up at him with a smile. "Tell me...why do you think you're so good at your job?"

Surprised by the turn of their conversation, Booth shrugged. "I don't know, exactly. Experience, I guess, and Bones says I can read a person's body language easily."

"Okay." Nodding, the psychic gazed at him intently. "And what do you think?"

Somewhat embarrassed, he shook his head slowly. "I think sometimes I just know what someone feels. I can't explain it...but I just know."

"I agree...you probably do 'just know'." She smiled to herself as she watched his deep pink aura swirl around him as he listened to her intently. "I think you're an empath…"

He scoffed in disgust. "So what...I'm Counselor Troi? I can read peoples' minds, right?"

Avalon laughed out loud. "No, that's not what I mean. I mean that you've inherited your sensitivity to spirits from your mother's family and your paternal grandmother. Your paternal grandfather contributed the respect of place and time and a solid sense of right and wrong. Add those things to your innate abilities to understand people, and it means that souls are drawn to you...souls of both the living and the dead. Those who have passed on realize you can feel them, Seeley...they want to confide in you."

"So they all stop and tell me goodbye as they're leaving? No way…"

"But that's exactly what Bob did, right? In fact, he says he even helped you solve a case."

"Oh...yeah, I guess so." Booth pursed his lips slightly as he thought over his last conversation with his neighbor. "How did he know about that? I'm pretty sure he didn't hear me talking to Bones…"

"Connor told him.," she said softly. "Connor is very confused about what had happened to cause his death, and it was difficult for him to move on, so he followed you home one evening. He might've stayed for good, too, but Bob decided to help him move along…"

Exasperated, Booth threw his hands up in surrender. "Seriously? I can't have wayward spirits following me home like lost puppies…" He stopped suddenly, smiling ruefully. "Listen to me...I must be insane." He studied Avalon intently. "So you're saying that lost souls might just show up on my doorstep…"

"In the past, before your empathy had reached its full potential, they may have caused a bit of mischief in your life, but I doubt that has happened while Bob's sidhe was watching over the place where you live. However, with Bob being ill, it affected her strength as well. Most likely she's moved on now to protect his granddaughter's family." Avalon stood suddenly and smoothed her dress. "We'll need to make arrangements for a protective circle of light around you...and also something to tone down that pink aura of yours…"

"What the hell? Circle of light? Pink aura? Listen, Ms Harmonia...I don't think all this psychic stuff is necessary…"

"You want some crazy dead serial killer's ghost making a visit to your apartment?" Seeing his surprise, she smiled faintly. "It won't hurt to try, okay? It'll take me maybe ten minutes, and Temperance won't know a thing. That's what you're worried about, right? That she'll think you're being superstitious?"

He couldn't help but smile. "I _am _superstitious." Thinking things over, he nodded. "Okay...make the arrangements, but I want to do it sometime when Bones isn't around…"

"You got it. Talk to you soon, Seeley."

As she left, Booth exhaled slowly, finally feeling somewhat at peace with Bob's passing. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.

* * *

_**Another chapter soon...**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**I had anticipated publishing this chapter sooner, but computer issues and a cold got in the way. **_

_**Thanks for the kind reviews. They are appreciated. **_

* * *

The Saturday morning in question had finally arrived, and Booth was feeling edgy as he sipped his coffee at the kitchen table. Annoyed with himself for being nervous, he pushed away his half eaten breakfast before glancing at the time on the microwave. It was almost 8...Avalon would be knocking at his door any minute now.

He'd argued with himself many times since she'd shown up in his office, insisting that she had a message from Bob. Of course, that was silly...there was no way Bob could've told her anything…

...and normally, as a sane and logical federal agent, he would believe that, except for the fact that Bob had stopped to chat in the hall one morning _after_ dying a few hours before.

Booth was absolutely sure that it had happened just the way he'd explained it...he hadn't been wrong about the time, as Bones had insisted, nor was he having some sort of weird dream. Nope...no matter what anyone said, he knew the truth. He'd talked to Bob's ghost that morning.

That in itself wasn't really the problem. Bob was a good guy, and even though it'd be best for everyone if he moved on, Booth wouldn't mind chatting with him…

"_Okay, now I know I must be crazy…,wanting to talk to a ghost.," _Booth thought to himself. **"**_Besides, Bob must've moved on by now…"_

Anyway, the problem was that for some reason, Avalon was sure that Connor's ghost had followed him home from the lab. That was really inconvenient. After all, in Booth's line of work he came in contact with some real unsavory characters, and he did _not_ want them to make themselves at home in his apartment after their demise.

So he didn't really have anything to lose. Pops always said it was better to be safe than sorry, and Avalon had said it'd be no big deal...she wouldn't even charge him for her services. Just a few minutes of her time and no more spooks in his apartment.

Sighing softly, Booth got up to clear the table before his visitor arrived. He was curious, but also cautious, wondering what he'd gotten himself into, but it was too late to back out now. He'd just have to go with it.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*

After exiting her cab and paying the driver, Avalon stood in front of the slightly rundown red brick building that housed Booth's apartment. Studying it with a practiced eye, she nodded slowly. "Just what I thought…crawling with'em..."

Stepping inside the lobby, she paused to get a feel for the place before slowly walking over to the antique elevator. As she looked up into the shaft above, she smiled faintly, wondering if her client had ever noticed the swirling dust particles at the top of the opening. He'd probably assume it was nothing special, but the swirls had a definite pattern, which indicated an unseen energy vortex of some sort. With a resolute nod, she closed the gate and turned the switch, causing the lift to rumble to life, clattering loudly as it took her upstairs.

As she stepped out of the elevator, she hesitated before going down the hall, feeling the presence of those unseen by most people. There were several of them present, and they were interested in her, but there was no evil intent. As she silently greeted them, she smiled. "Hmm...no wonder he's here…"

Avalon laughed to herself as she turned the corner. In her mind's eye she could see that the section of the upper story where Booth lived was lit up like a brilliant lighthouse in a dense fog. Many more spirits would be drawn to that place like moths to a flame if the proper steps weren't taken soon.

Being an empath could be a blessing, but without training, it could also become a curse. Booth had become a beacon for earthbound souls, just as she was, and he'd most likely had the gift from childhood, but it hadn't been acknowledged or appreciated properly. Many male empaths were embarrassed because of their intense feelings for others...and western cultures didn't always approve of tenderhearted men.

Avalon had quickly recognized his talent when they first met. His intense empathy had filled her with awe. He had a tremendous amount of natural talent, and if he'd been taught to use his gift in a different way, his empathetic skills might've rivaled her own. As it was now, he had unknowingly used his innate abilities to great effect while serving as a federal law enforcement agent. That was the good news. The bad news was that his enormous empathy had begun spilling over into the other plane of existence, and he was attracting unwanted attention from the souls that were caught in between this world and the next. He had to be protected, or he'd be overwhelmed by those seeking help to find their way across the divide.

The real question in Avalon's mind, however, was why things had been kicked up a notch. She could accept that Booth was a strong empath...that he had been for his entire life...but actually having an intelligent conversation with a ghost? Having a spirit follow him home? There was no doubt in Avalon's mind that those things had happened, as unusual as they were for someone who was an 'amateur', for lack of a better word. The question was 'why now'? It was obvious that something had thrown his empathetic nature into high gear.

She smiled to herself as the answer occurred to her like a bolt of lightning. Booth was deeply in love with Dr. Brennan. After having the weird coma dream about a story the author had read to him while he was unconscious, he was now completely attuned to how he felt about her, and those feelings were being amplified and broadcast throughout the ether to the poor souls who'd lost their way before they could cross over. There was no time to lose. She had to act immediately or he'd be inundated with more psychic energy than an untrained empath could handle.

Knocking on the door, she wasn't surprised to have it opened to her immediately. Of course Booth would be anxious to see her. She hadn't really meant to startle him with her pronouncements at her last visit. She assumed at the time that he knew he was an empath, but now she knew he had been caught off guard.

"Um...morning, Ms. Harmonia. Won't you come in?" Ever the gentleman, he hung up her coat and offered her a cup of coffee, which she accepted.

Sitting across the table from him, she sipped daintily from her cup, watching him as he nervously stirred some sugar into his mug. Clearing her throat to get his attention, she smiled. "How long have you lived here, Seeley?"

"Oh, I don't know...four years maybe? It was kind of a funny thing, you know? I mean, I had a real nice apartment, but I'd just broken up with the woman I'd been dating, and I wondered if I didn't need a big change of some sort in my life to kinda make it official. Anyway, I had gone for a run one Saturday morning, and just as I passed this building, I saw the landlord put the sign in the window for an apartment to let. I was the first person who'd asked about it, and I took it that day. Pretty lucky, I guess…"

"Hmm...right. Lucky." Avalon smirked slightly as she rose from her chair and walked into the living room. "And you're comfortable here, aren't you? Happy?" She stopped to admire a bit of memorabilia. "There's room for all of your stuff…"

"Yeah...it's nice to have a place to put out my things so I can see them. I like that...they remind me of people I used to know…memories...things like that..."

"Yes, I know. Those things are very important..." Laughing softly, the psychic shook her head. "You don't see it, do you?"

Confused, Booth stared at her in surprise. "See what?"

"Alright...you're gonna think this is crazy…"

"Crazier than seeing a ghost?, " Booth asked as he sat in his favorite chair. "I doubt it…"

She shrugged as she perched on the end of the sofa. "I think this building chose you to be its caretaker."

"What?" He was stunned. "Okay, you're right. That's crazy. How could a building choose who lives in it…"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I just know there is a lot of psychic energy in this space, and the focal point seems to be your apartment. I think that's why you're here...to maybe keep things in equilibrium…"

"But you said Bob's sidhe did that…"

"It did, until his health began to fail...about four years ago. It's strength must've waned, too...and it needed help." She saw the multitude of questions in Booth's eyes. "It's hard to explain, but the point is this...I know you're supposed to be here, living in this space and keeping things in balance, for at least one more year...maybe two. After that things become unclear."

"Well, that won't be a problem, I suppose. I don't mind being the building's guardian or whatever you want to call it...it doesn't seem to involve too much work." Booth put on a brave face, but underneath it all, he was terribly disappointed. He'd hoped to be together with his Bones well before then, and they'd need their own place. He sighed softly. "I mean the rent's cheap...which is strange because this is a prime location…"

Avalon nodded, trying to hide her grin. "Perhaps you'd be surprised to know that some people feel like this building is haunted and so they don't want to live here. You landlord has had a hard time keeping a tenant...before you came along, that is."

Booth wondered how she knew that but didn't press the point. "Actually, that wouldn't surprise me at all. I've had people visit who say this place gives them the creeps, but I've never felt anything but comfortable...until recently." He grimaced slightly as he leaned towards her. "So...um...you were gonna do that circle thingy…"

"Ah, yes." Avalon smiled as she picked up her purse. "I have everything we need right here." Taking out some small fabric pouches, she opened them and inhaled their fragrances. "We're going to sprinkle some Angelica over the doorways and on the window sills, and then burn some sage and juniper to clear the air before politely asking the spirits that linger to move along to their new plane of existence."

Then she pulled out a cloth wrapped object. She quickly unwrapped it and held up a large clear quartz crystal. "This crystal will focus the energy of your aura. You'll be able to feel negative changes in the atmosphere of the place if you have unwelcome spirit guests. Simply hold it in your hand, face the front door, and picture them leaving."

Booth was not impressed. "So...dead plants and a shiny rock are gonna keep ghosts from following me home? I don't believe that for one minute…holy water, maybe, but dried up leaves? No way..."

"So you'd rather trust some fancy blessed water instead of this time honored lore?" She arched an eyebrow at him in irritation. "I know what I'm doing, Seeley. Trust me...it works." She poured the dried sage leaves and the ground juniper berries into a small metal dish and struck a match, dropping it on top. Acrid smoke quickly filled the small space.

Coughing loudly, Booth waved his hand in front of his nose. "Jesus...I hope we don't set off the smoke alarm…"

"It should be fine...it's almost out. Chuckling softly, she waved her hands through the fumes to spread them through the room. "And speaking of Jesus, it might not hurt to add a crucifix to your wall decor. Might as well cover all your bases…"

"Yeah, I guess it wouldn't hurt." Inhaling deeply, Booth closed his eyes, concentrating on the atmosphere surrounding them. "I can't tell any difference yet…"

"It may take awhile. Just relax. Things are gonna be better, I promise." Avalon gathered her things and got ready to leave. Hesitating slightly, she turned to face her client. "Oh, by the way, Seeley...as I've told you before, things will work out well with Temperance, if you're patient, but remember...go with your own feelings. You know you can't rush her. Don't let anyone push you into taking a chance on telling her how you feel if you don't think she's ready, or you'll delay things…"

Feeling himself blush, Booth tried to correct Avalon's assumptions, but to no avail. "It's not like that, okay? Bones is just my partner."

The pyschic would have none of his foolishness and finally he gave up his protests. "Okay. I'll remember to go slow...if we ever get that far…"

"You will. Trust me...I'm going to sing at your wedding." With that, she was gone.

Oooooooooo

Her errand done, Avalon paced quickly down the hall, purposely ignoring the shadowy figures that had slowly come into focus in front of Bob's apartment. She trusted her ritual completely...soon there would be fewer spirits in the building, save those that had been permanently earthbound and attached there for some unknown reason. They'd never caused Booth any trouble, and she felt secure in the knowledge that the cleansing had been a success.

Bob gave the psychic a cheeky wave as he watched the woman walk by. He knew she was aware of them, so there was no need to make any overt show. Turning to the being standing next to him, he gave it a contented smile. "You're feeling better, I see."

The sidhe nodded silently. Her silvery white hair shone like a halo around her beautiful face, and her gray eyes were full of devotion. She hesitated slightly before extending her hand.

"No…," Bob said softly. "Thank you...but where I'm going, I'll need no more protection. I am releasing you from my service." Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and held up his hand as if in blessing. "Thou hast completed thy task well, and I give thee leave to do as thou chooseth. But if thou so chooseth, I charge thee to protect my great grandson, Toby. My granddaughter Amelia will need all the help she can get with that boy."

Giving the old man a slight smile, the sidhe bowed slightly and then took her leave. She drifted slowly down the dimly lit hallway, her shimmering white dress wafting in an unseen breeze, before turning the corner toward the elevator and disappearing.

"I'm going to miss her," Bob murmured before turning to the apparition standing nearby. "Are you ready?"

"I don't want to go.," Connor's ghost said in a plaintive tone. "I like it here...I like that man Booth. He cares about me...he wanted to know what happened to me when I got hurt. I want to stay with him…"

"I understand how you feel, but it's not possible. We have to leave and let him live his life the way it's meant to be. You don't want him to worry about us all the time, right?." Bob smiled, holding out his hand. "Don't worry...you'll see him again...and the place where we're going is really nice. I've been looking forward to being there for a long time. Trust me...it's better this way."

"Um...okay, if you say so. I guess you know more about that than I do." Shrugging, the young man's ghost reached out to take Bob's hand. "I'm ready whenever you are…"

"Hang on, kid!" Bob laughed as they walked down the hall and turned toward the elevator. "I hear it's one hellava ride…here we goooo…."

Oooooooooo

As he sat in his recliner, Booth turned the pages of the morning paper noisily, blissfully unaware of the small drama playing itself out in the hallway. He wanted to check the hockey scores, but he couldn't concentrate. His brain kept replaying what Avalon had said about him and Bones.

_Things will work out with Temperance...be patient...don't rush her…_

Easier said than done, however. Patience had never been his strong suit...especially when it came to something he wanted so badly...but the psychic had been correct. He couldn't rush Bones...she was too skittish about romantic relationships for him to rush her.

Of course, it was weird that he'd taken Avalon's words seriously. After all, he was an intelligent, experienced investigator. Why would he take the word of that crazy fortune teller? It was better not to get his hopes up. If an opportunity presented itself, he'd tell Bones the truth about how he felt, but not because Avalon suggested it. It would be because he'd know it was the right time.

His musings were interrupted by a knock on the door. Surprised, he grumbled to himself, thinking that Ms. Harmonia had forgotten something, but after checking the peephole a broad grin spread across his handsome face as he opened the door. "Bones? What are you doing here?"

"Well…I was..." She stepped inside and her nose wrinkled in disgust. "What is that awful smell?"

"I was trying a new recipe and I burned it, " he said, trying to cover the dish of charred herbs with the newspaper. It felt like his heart was beating a mile a minute as he looked into her beautiful blue eyes. "So...what's up?"

She smiled bashfully as she tugged at the hem of her navy blue sweatshirt. "As I was saying...I was thinking about you this morning, and I decided that I'd like us to spend some time together today, if you don't have plans. It's a beautiful morning, and I don't want to stay indoors. Would you like to go to the farmer's market with me? And then maybe we can go by the outdoor flea market on C Street, if you want…"

Booth tried to play it cool...and failed miserably. "Sure! Of course! That sounds like fun. Let me grab my jacket. Hey, do you want a cup of coffee?"

"No, I'm fine." Brennan sat on the sofa as Booth got ready to go. "So now that Bob's apartment is empty, will you be getting a new neighbor any time soon?"

"Why? Are you looking for a place?," he teased as he pulled on his jacket. Seeing her confused expression, he shook his head. "I don't know what's gonna happen. All I know is that I'm gonna stay put for awhile. I like this place, even if it is old and dingy…"

"And haunted." Brennan smiled at his surprise. "No, of course I don't believe in hauntings, ghosts, and spirits, Booth, but I know you do, as illogical as that may be." She shrugged as they left. "It's a very comfortable place, with a sense of history...and I can see how you might like living here. If you're happy here, that's all that matters."

"Yeah, I am happy with my place...warts and all." Thinking he'd heard something behind him, he glanced over his shoulder at Bob's apartment door, but there was nothing there...at least nothing he could see, and he was hopeful that things had calmed down after Avalon's visit. Maybe someday he tell his partner about that, but not today. He had better things to do.

"Come on, let's go. We're burning daylight, Bones…all the good stuff will be gone if we don't hurry..."

He sighed happily as the elevator took them downstairs. He was going to spend the day with the woman he loved.

Today was going to be a great day.

Oooooooooo

At a cafe across the street from the liquor store, a petite blonde woman sipped her coffee as she watched the old red brick building on the opposite corner. Several ghosts had departed the place, including Bob and young Connor, but she was more interested in who had arrived.

Pleased to see Dr. Brennan show up, Avalon smiled. It was probably a good thing she hadn't mentioned the rose petals she'd burned with the sage...no reason to tell Booth that she'd added a love potion to her ghost cleansing charm, but she was glad it had worked. Now she just had to hope that Booth wouldn't rush things, since she wasn't getting any younger. It was going to take enough time as it was.

She'd already picked out the song she would sing at their wedding. Now she just had to be patient and let nature take its course.

Smiling to herself, she paid for her coffee and left a large tip for the server. She knew things would work out eventually…

...because today was going to be a great day.

* * *

**_Thanks for reading my little story. I enjoyed writing it. Laura_**


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